Fahrenheit 451

We just finished reading the book Fahrenheit 451. This book was confusing but interesting in the way Bradbury thought. The billboards in the book were intensified. He talked about them being much longer than they are now just so people could read what they said since they drive so fast. Books were downplayed. People weren't allowed to own books and if they did the firemen were to burn them. There were many binary opposites. The past vs. the present was big. Everything in the past wasn't to be known in the time of Bradbury's book. Firefighter vs. firefighter was another. Beatty and Montag were both firemen but were very different in their thoughts and ways about each other. Beatty didn't want anyone to know what was in books while Montag became very curious about understanding them. American Values used in Fahrenheit 451 were speed. Everyone was always in a hurry and not worried about taking in anything, they also sped everywhere and the minimum was 55 mph.

Vacancy

Last weekend I watched the movie Vacancy. This scary movie is about a couple whose car breaks down and they have to stay at the Pinewood motel. Their t.v. doesn't work so they start to watch the movies on top of the t.v. The symbol family is used in this movie. The couple's son died and they are getting a divorce. Once nearly killed by 3 men the couple realizes their love for each other. Plain folks are used as the killers and the motel owner while beautiful people were used as the main characters. Many different angles and shots were used. When the couple are walking back to the little town after their car had broke down extreme long shot was used to show the two. After her husband gets killed the lady is up in the attic waiting for the men to leave to go look for her. While looking down on the men the bird's eye shot is used to show what she is looking at.

Grey's Anatomy

Last night I watched "Grey's Anatomy." Dominant American Values were used during this episode including, activity and work. Two of the doctors are competing to earn and keep their position at the hospital. Achievement and Success is also used. These doctors have achieved and succeeded their dreams. Beautiful people are used in this soap opera. They have nicknames between each other that show their beauty. Persuasion used is sex. Sex is symboled alot in this show. All of the doctors have relationships with one another or have one night stands with one another. Plain folks are also used. The people who come into the hospital are regular everday people, they don't use well known people for this part.

Dead Silence

The other night I watched the movie "Dead Silence." This movie is about a woman who tries to silence an entire city from screaming, if you scream you will be killed and she will rip out your tongue. Binary opposites used in this movie are light vs. dark. Most of this movie is shown in the dark but when wanted to be intensified was shot in the light. This movie also involves alot of jump shots. It goes from being the afternoon of one day to the morning of the next. Action shots are used when he is trying to escape the house of the lady. She is chasing after him when he comes to a bridge that breaks. He is hanging there from the bridge and the different angle shots used make you feel unoriented and sickly because they make him go around in circles.

Listerine Ad

In the Cool Mint Listerine ad I saw today, the Listerine was located in the middle of the page, was green and was in front of a white background. Something was very interesting about this ad though. There were a pair of doctor stethascopes located around the bottle of mouth wash. Underneath the ad was the phrase "If you think it's just for your mouth, think bigger." They are trying to tell you that the health of you mouth has to do with the health of your body. In this ad the bottle and stethascopes are being intensified, they're trying to reach out and tell you that it's a health effect. The information beneath the bottle is being downplayed because it's typed very small and your eyes are not attracted to the wording. American values that are being used is health. All Americans worry about their health, they want to be healthy and this tells them how they can be.

Hostess Ad

In an ad that I saw today for the Hostess 100 Calorie Packs, there was a waiter in a white shirt holding a silver tray with a variety of desserts on white plates. The Hostess cakes were closer to you in the ad and in front of all the other desserts. While the other desserts had a white top and a dark colored bottom and dark sprinkled on top, the Hostess cakes had a dark brown top and a light brown bottom. Having these identifications made the Hostess 100 Calorie Packs be intensified and all other desserts were downplayed. Underneath the tray of desserts were the different kinds of Hostess 100 Calorie Packs. These other snacks are being downplayed because they're located near the bottom of the page under everything but they're also being intensified because of the variety of colors used on the packages. I think this advertisement is trying to persuade you to pick the Hostess over all other desserts. They are telling you that you can get 3 cakes, with just 100 calories, while you only get one piece of the other desserts.

Aquafresh - white tray Ad

In an Aquafresh ad for white trays a darkly colored lady is used to show off her new whiter teeth while holding the whitening tray. The teeth and the tray are the main focus and intensifier in this ad. A darkly colored woman is modeling off her teeth with a black background, this makes the focus directed on the lighter colors in the ad, which are the teeth and the tray. Although the teeth and tray are being intensified they are also being downplayed. The ladies mouth is located towards the left side of the page with the tray in the ladies hand below the mouth. On the right side of the page is a question and information about the white trays in white, making it stick out like the teeth and tray. A box of the white trays is located in the bottom right corner of the ad. The box is being intensified because of its color but is being downplayed because of its location. This ad is trying to get your attention and tell you that if you use their product you will have as white of teeth as the lady in the ad.

Silpada Ad

In the ad for Silpada that I saw, the jewelry that the lady was wearing was the intensifier. With a grey background and the black dress that the lady is wearing, the green and silver jewelry stands out. The jewelry around the ladies neck is placed in the middle of the page and the ladies hands are brought up by her shoulders, showing off the bracelets and rings on her wrists and fingers. The statement "I found there's nothing that a little jewelry can't fix." is also being slightly intensified because of its location. The wording is located in the upper left corner of the ad, where Americans begin reading. At the same time it's being downplayed by the color. The statement is in a light grey color on top of a darker grey color, making it not stick out as much.

Bud Light Commercial

The other night I saw the funniest commercial ever. There were two guys at an opera show and they were bored. One of the men pulled open his coat having bottles of Bud Light in each pocket of his jacket. The guy pulls out a bottle for himself and the other guy. Once the lady starts singing her opera and the men open their beverages the bottles in their hands break open, as well as the ones in the guys jacket. The man sitting in front of the two turns around happily drinking his can of Bud Light. Persuasion techniques used include humor. This commercial definitely made me laugh and I'm sure it did with others. They also used plain folks, these were not famous people that I knew, they were just ordinary people. A Dominant American Value used is material comfort. Drinking the Bud Lights while at the opera made their lives comfortable and entertaining.

Vera Wang

I saw this ad for Vera Wang today. There was two different parts to it, on the top was a lady walking through what looks like a forest. The lady is intensified in this picture because she is placed in the center of the page and her arms are spread out. She is also wearing a purple shirt and shiny gold shoes. These colors make her stand out due to the neutral colors around her like, brown and green. There is also sunlight in the bushes behind her but no where else. The bottom part of the page is in the city. The shoes on the ladies feet are being intensified. They are intensified due to the placement of the feet, which are up close and in the front of the ad. The shoes are also intensified because they're shiny and smooth while the buildings in the background are rough and dull. Since the shoes are being intensified and the feet are the only thing showing on the lady you can assume the ad is selling Vera Wang shoes. You can also make the assumption that if you buy Vera Wang shoes you can become a "city-slicker."

DKNY Ad

In "The Oprah Magazine" today, I saw an ad for DKNY's Red Delicious fragrance for women. The ad included a man and a woman sitting on a motorcycle with red apples along the bottom. The woman is intensified because she is wearing a red dress and is located in the middle of the page. There are red apples along the bottom of the ad and the woman is also holding an apple up to her face. The man is being downplayed because he is in a gray shirt which blends with the city view background. Binary opposites include the red dress the woman is wearing vs. the gray shirt the man is wearing. This ad represents the symbol for sex and beautiful people. The man and woman are sitting very close on the bike and the woman's hand is located on the man's leg and the man's hand is located on the woman's leg. While the woman is looking forward the man's face is right up next to the woman's face looking at her. The American value for this ad is that if you buy this product it will make you hot and make your man want you.

Target Ad

Today I saw a Target ad in "The Oprah Magazine." The lady is being intensified because of her placement on the page. She is located in the middle of the ad and is larger in size but she is also turned sideways throwing her off balance. Across the bottom of the ad is the word "timeless." The "less" part of the word is being intensified because of its color. The word "time" is being downplayed because it's white with her khaki skirt behind it, the word "less" is purple, the same color as her shirt, and a gray color behind it making it stick out. Binary opposites that are being used include the white "time" vs. the purple "less." The background is gray vs. her shirt, and "less" being bright purple. White "time" with a khaki color behind, which blends vs. a purple "less" with a gray background, which sticks out. An American value includes, that if you shop at Target it will be "timeless." Meaning it will take no time to shop for what you need, leaving you more time for the things you need to do.

Chasing Liberty

Last night I watched the movie "Chasing Liberty." If you're into chick flicks this might be a movie for you. There isn't any major violence in it, it's just your normal movie. Along with being a chick flick there is also humor involved. This keeps you in the movie. I thought this movie was good and you know what's going on throughout most of the movie. Many different persuasions are used. Mandy Moore is the main actress, which uses the testimonial technique. Symbols are also used like sex and family. Places is used too. This movie is shot in various tourists locations, which helps get you into the movie. It makes you feel like you're there and also makes you want to go there. I think this movie was made to show the difficulties of being the presidents daughter and the individuality value of Americans. Even though you may be the presidents daughter you still want to be strong and rugged.

The Bourne Ultimatum

A couple weekends ago I went to the movies to see the movie "The Bourne Ultimatum." This movie was pretty good but confusing for me. "The Bourne Ultimatum" is meant for people who like gory action. A lot of this goes on in the movie including, shooting people, car chasing (which involves people getting killed) and fist fighting. If you're in to all of that stuff this is a good movie for you. Although all of this was included in the movie, I still thought it was pretty good. The creators did a good job with keeping the audience involved in the movie and kept you awake with what was going on. A lot of persuasive techniques. These techniques include symbols, like sex, and testimonials, like Matt Damon. Using techniques like these draws people to the movie and makes them interested in it.